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Friedrich II
Frederick II (German: Friedrich II.; 24 January 1712 – 17 August 1786) ruled the Kingdom of Prussia from 1740 until 1786, the most profuse reign of any Hohenzollern King, at 46 years. He assumed the throne of the Iron Kingdom after the death of his father. He was the heir to the revered, yet scurrilous, robust, and mentally unstable Soldatenkönig Friedrich Wilhelm I at 28 years of age. As the perpetual patriarch of the House of Hohenzollern, Friedrich's 13-living sibling have aided him in the consolidation of all the reigning dynasties of Europe. During his reign, Friedrich achieved the unification of Hohenzollern blood with Europe's monarchies. He distantly achieved his father's desires, when he espoused his beloved wife, Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern. The latter mentioned was the Protestant cousin to Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresia. Illustriously beloved in name, humble in presence, strict in nature, but graceful sight - Friedrich was one of the most prominent figures of The Enlightenment. He betrothed himself to his Iron Kingdom as the "first servant of the state" - A strong adherent of autocracy and absolute monarchism, there wasn't a single corner in Prussia that did not have Frederician Influence. During his reign, he became known by his people, and evidently all of Europe as Friedrich the Great (Friedrich der Große) and was nicknamed Der Alte Fritz ("The Old Fritz") by the Prussian people and eventually the all of Germany. Friedrich was courteous, considerate, and good-natured, and he displayed great faithfulness to his friends and family with an undoubted presentation of humbleness. His concept of reigning was undoubtedly humble and staunchly strict, however, he was always conscious of his duty to the well-being of his subjects and the German people. The Frederician youth was more interested in music, philosophy and enlightenment than the art of war. Such would change in his later adolescence. Nonetheless, upon ascending to the Prussian throne, he attacked Austria, and the Holy Roman Empire, claiming the Duchy of Silesia during the Silesian Wars, as well as adding the Electorate of Saxony to his realm. These swift and shocking attacks revolutionised warfare and thus winning military acclaim for himself and Prussia. Friedrich's reign saw Prussia become the first Absolute Monarchy to give Freedom of the Press, and Freedom of Speech. When he took the throne, Friedrich commissioned Professor Jean Henri Samuel Formey to found a French newspaper for politics and literature in Berlin. First Minister Heinrich von Podewils was ordered to lift the censorship for the non-political part of the newspapers. Political statements, however, were still subject to censorship. Friedrich's reign modernized the Prussian bureaucracy and streamlined the civil service. One of his prominent changes was the pursued religious policies throughout his realm that ranged from tolerance to segregation. He reformed the judicial system and made it possible for men not of noble stock to become judges and senior bureaucrats. Friedrich also encouraged immigrants of various nationalities and faiths to come to Prussia. He notably increased his father's interior work to integrate Huguenots as Prussian citizens, whilst also facilitating the growth of Prussia's Jewish community. Friedrich authorised the construction of some 18 Synagogues in Berlin alone. Friedrich patronised the arts and enlightenment to a major extent. He praised the likes of Voltaire, Kant, Rousseau and Diderot at the infamous roundtable meetings of his summer palace of Sanssouci. As well as permitting complete freedom of the press and literature, he was an adherent of the emerging enlightenment movement. Friedrich transformed the Prussian realm for the next two centuries; he stored grain in bad times and sold it in good, he established Prussia'to be Europe's fourth-largest military power (A standing army of 200,000 strong), but in drill and principal it was the best. He sought neither expansive overseas colonies or overly-ambitious naval affairs. He preferred to have Europe's greatest army than it's most pathetic navy. An economic reformist, a saviour of the poor, pious and fair; this Great lived to the name as the father of his Vaterland. He blew melodies on his flute indifferently to the manner of which he drew a sabre on the battlefield. There wasn't a city in Prussia or a liberated country in Germany that refused to pay homage to this 18th-century athenic spartan of cesarian presence. Early Life Birth It was a chilly winters morning on such a jubilant occasion. Friedrich I of Prussia (grandfather to Friedrich) was in his late reign, and the court was gathered in the Berliner Stadtschloß for the birthing ceremony. Friedrich II was born on the 24th of January 1712 to Kronprinz Friedrich Wilhelm I and his consort, Sophie Dorothea von Hannover. He was born to the sound of cannon and bells, an easy baby, requiring only three and a half hours of labour. He was the 4th and penultimate child who was born alive to the Prince and Princesse, who had suffered two infant deaths, prior to the delivery of the young Friedrich. The birth itself was held in great expectation and hope, with the King, Crowned Prince, and the majority of the senior court present in the bedchamber. When at noon the Grand Chambellan and the Royal Herald appeared on the balcony of the Stadtschloß to ceremonially announce that Crown Princess Sophia Dorothea safely delivered a prince. Artillerymen and Guardsmen shivering on Berlin’s high walls thrust glowing sticks of punk to primed touchholes igniting cannons and musket; young bell pullers in the city churches and cathedrals quickly sweated through winter woollens in a futile bid of bell against guns. All of Prussia was in rejoice. Baptism Several days following his birth, the infant Prince was baptized at Court. The ceremony, which was carried out in the Schlosskapelle of the Berlin Castle, presided over by the Grand Almoner, Bishop Benjamin Ursinus von Baer, who 11 years earlier co-presided over the coronation of Friedrich I as King of Prussia with Bishop Bernhard von Sanden der Ältere. The newborn was christened Friedrich, a name that, as his grandfather King Friedrich I wrote to a friend, “has always brought good fortune to my House.” ''The infant Prince was baptized with only one name, ''Friedrich, and was not given any other names. The birth of Friedrich was welcomed by his grandfather, Friedrich I, with more than usual pleasure, as his two previous grandsons had both died in infancy. The ceremony adhered to all common practices of the court at the time and had the beautiful princely child was carried on his way by his affectionate and lavish grandfather, who was draped in his ornate stately robes for the occasion, followed by those who would be named his godmother's and godfathers. With the death of his father in 1713, Friedrich Wilhelm became King in Prussia as Friedrich Wilhelm I, thus making young Friedrich the Kronprinz. The new king wished for his sons and daughters to be educated not as royalty, but as simple folk. He had been educated by a Frenchwoman, Marthe de Roucoulle who later became Madame de Montbaile, and he wished that she educate his children. Early Childhood & Education During his infancy, Friedrich spent the first six years of his life with his eldest sister, Madame Royale, Princesse Wilhelmine. Throughout their lives, Fritz (as he was dubbed by his family) and Wilhelmine held a closely bonded relationship. The two lived in the care of the only French-speaking Grande Gouvernante Marthe de Roucoulle, a French-born Huguenot who had already been a veteran from her tenure as governess to the Soldatenkönig in his infancy. This appointment was due to Roucoulle's high position and her effective caring and the close bond she had shared with all her charges. Upon reaching the age of four, the Prince was introduced to his suite of Enfants d'Honneur. This suite, of which included the Kurprinz of Hanover, Friedrich Ludwig von Hannover who, at the time was also Prince of Wales and the heir to the British throne, who amongst others, would grow to be Friedrich's closest confidants in his childhood. Friedrich Wilhelm, popularly dubbed as the Soldatenkönig (Soldier-King), had created a large and powerful army led by his famous "Potsdam Giants", carefully managed his treasury finances and developed a strong, centralized government. However, the King also possessed a violent temper (in part due to porphyritic illness) and ruled Brandenburg-Prussia with absolute authority. As Friedrich grew, his preference for music, literature and French culture clashed with his father's militarism, resulting in Friedrich Wilhelm frequently beating and humiliating him. In contrast, Friedrich's mother Sophia was polite, charismatic and learned. Her father, George Louis of Brunswick-Lüneburg, succeeded to the British throne as George I in 1714. Friedrich was brought up by Huguenot governesses and preceptors and learned French, German and Latin simultaneously. In 1716, Fritz was introduced to his precepteur Jacques Égide Duhan de Jandun, a Huguenot refugee and Prussian officer, who had attracted the attention of the King during the Siege of Stralsund in 1715 by his special bravery. Duhan would have the privilege to have taught Friedrich until 1727. In spite of his father's desire that his education be entirely religious and pragmatic, the young Friedrich, with the help of his tutor, Duhan, procured for himself a three thousand volume secret library of Poetry, Greek and Roman classics, and French philosophy to supplement his official lessons. Duhan developed a close personal bond with his pupil, notably extending the timetable strictly edited by the king, to spend more time with Friedrich. In secrecy, Duhan taught the prince Latin and French Literature and finally helped with the acquisition of the secret library. The Latin lessons were also secretly arranged, and when Friedrich Wilhelm caught them, he punished teacher and student alike-- with blows and kicks. Following the scandal, Duhan was imprisoned in the Tour de Memel prison on the Baltic coast. Friedrich, while imprisoned at Küstrin, arranged through the Austrian ambassador General Graf von Seckendorff to have Austria pay a secret pension to Duhan. Afterwards, Friedrich received a strict, authoritarian and religious education according to the detailed specifications of Friedrich Wilhelm, who pedantically prescribed the daily routine of the Crown Prince: From rising at 4:45 in the morning, to "having breakfast in seven minutes time" to washing his hands at 5 o'clock. Then he should go to the King, then he should "ride out, divert himself in the air and not in the chamber," where he could then do "what he wants, if only it is not against God." The King wrote down precise instructions for his heir's governors and preceptors: "On Sunday he is to rise at seven. As soon as he has his slippers on he shall kneel at the bed and say a short prayer to God loud enough for all present to hear. After which, the Lord's Prayer. Then speedily and with all despatch he shall dress and wash himself, be queued and powdered; and getting dressed as well as breakfast - tea, which is to be taken while the valet is making his queue and powdering him - shall be finished and done in a quarter of an hour, that is, by a quarter past seven." Although Friedrich Wilhelm I was raised a Calvinist, he feared he was not of the elect. To avoid the possibility of Friedrich being motivated by the same concerns, the king ordered that his heir not be taught about predestination. Nevertheless, although Friedrich was largely irreligious, he to some extent appeared to adopt this tenet of Calvinism. Some scholars have speculated that he did this to spite his father. Adolescence - Heir to the Gilded Silver Throne Clash of the Crowns In 1728, aged 16, Friedrich secretly began writing to the illustrious flautist Johann Joachim Quantz. Quantz was a colleague of Handel and Scarlatti, and one of the most prominent flautists of his time. At the time in 1728, Quantz was the Flautist of the Electoral Saxon and Royal Polish Court in Dresden. By chance, a state visit by the Prussian Court allowed Friedrich and Quantz to meet, arranging their first lesson. This lesson was discovered by the King and immediately banned. Following this, Fritz continued flute lessons with Johann Joachim Quantz, but in secret, which further intensified the conflicts between his tyrannical father, who was only fixated on the military and the economic, and the enlightened prince. Brutal corporal and spiritual punishments by Friedrich Wilhelm belonged at that time to the regimen of the Royal Family. The Katte Affair - An unwanted heir of homosexuality'' A year later, in 1729, Prince Friedrich encountered the heroicness of 18-year-old Hans Hermann von Katte, a Lieutenant of the Gens d'Armes Cuirassiers. This purple-born prince of illustrious heritage sought the friendship of a young, artistic, and afternoon'ified Officer. The exact means of their acquaintance is unknown. What is known is that they both shared a love of flute-playing, poetry and literature. Katte became the friend and confidant of Friedrich, who admired the former for his worldliness. Utilizing lettres-secret to his mother, Friedrich had made it so Katte joined him in his tutoring of mathematics and statesmanship. Prussia's own Casanova - Karl Ludwig von Pöllnitz described their relation as.. Deux jeunes oiseaux chantant la même chanson d'amour et partageant le même nid. (Two youthful birds, singing the same love song, and sharing the same nest.) During the spring of 1730, ''Augustus II ''The Strong', King of Poland, had invited Friedrich Wilhelm and the Prussian Army to take part in field exercises and a tattoo parade at Camp Ziethen, near Schloss Promnitz in Saxony. Tribunes were built between Moritz and Promnitz so that the spectators could comfortably watch a mock naval battle and grandiose fireworks display. August the Strong himself, standing at a window of the banqueting hall of the Promnitzer castle, enjoyed on June 24, the huge five-hour illuminations display on the Elbe River. Several months earlier, 200 carpenters had begun to construct with 18,000 logs and as many planks on the Riesaer side of the river, 80 meters high and 200 cubits wide, in front of the specially built Promnitz Castle, which was covered and painted with 6,000 cubits of linen, to represent a fairy's manor. The illumination was done by 400 carpenters. In addition to the fairy palace, were among some other 60 cannons for mock battles, 48 Mortars for flare throwing, 80 Rocket tripods and 24 Large fire wheels. At the same time, a fleet of ships illuminated the top of their masts and sailed by fire-breathing whales and dolphins. It was during this immense occasion, that Prince Friedrich had several abrasive arguments with his father. After a heated argument, the Prince approached Katte with a plan of intent to flee to France and eventually to England, in order to escape the brutality and abuse of his father. Katte tried to convince Friedrich not to do so but eventually supported him. The attempt was made on August 5th, 1730. Early in the morning, Fritz and Katte, together with a group of their inner-circle, most notably Peter Karl Christoph von Keith made their dashing escape to (unsuccessfully) to flee to their planned lodgings at Steinsfurt. In the meanwhile, Katte, who kept connections occupied in Potsdam, was unmasked by a compromising letter as a connoisseur of the plot and was soon arrested. King Friedrich Wilhelm threatened to have both of them executed for desertion. The pair were brought before a court-martial at Schloss Köpenick in Berlin. Initially, Katte was sentenced to lifelong imprisonment (with regard to the Crown Prince, the court declared itself not responsible). Later, though, Friedrich Wilhelm hardened the conviction and had signed a death sentence for Katte, and ordered execution by decapitation. Friedrich's sister, Wilhelmine, was also charged with conspiracy, and both were kept strictly isolated for more than a year. The future of Friedrich's life was uncertain, as he and Katte were interred at Küstrin Fortress. On the morning of November 6th, 1730, the guards had awoken the Prince and Katte. Katte was escorted outside, followed by a detail of soldiers and a priest. Friedrich was forcibly taken by the guards and had his head forced out the window -- to watch Katte's execution. The Soldatenkönig, who initially wanted to execute Friedrich for treason, spared him on the one hand of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau's intercession. Another consideration, on the other hand, was also for geopolitical considerations, after both Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI and Prince Eugene of Savoy had written in representation for the Crown Prince's defence. Friedrich was, however, sentenced to imprisonment in Küstrin. His royal status, pensions, and privileges were revoked. A year following the execution of his lover, Friedrich wrote a letter to his father, to petition his pardoning. Initially, this letter was looked over by the King, at which Queen Sophie immediately retaliated against with the help of Eugene of Savoy. Tensions eased slightly when Friedrich Wilhelm visited Küstrin a year later. Friedrich's arrest was diminished, and he was pardoned. However, he was released on November 18th, 1731, solely on the constriction that he remained in Küstrin to complete his education on statecraft and bureaucracy. Notably, Friedrich was also charged with command of the I. Leibgarde Battalion, which would be stationed in the vicinity of Rheinsberg and Neurreupin. Friedrich was allowed to visit Berlin on the occasion of his sister Wilhelmine's marriage to Margrave Friedrich of Bayreuth on 20 November 1731. The Crown Prince returned to Berlin after finally being released from his tutelage at Küstrin on 26 February 1732. '''''Engagement Following his release from Küstrin, Queen Sophie Dorothea began consolidating options for the marriage of her beloved son and heir. After weeks of scrupulous portrait judgments, intelligence reports and political embassies, the Soldatenkönig and his consort reviewed candidates for the marriage of Crowned Prince Friedrich. 1732 was a busy year at Court. Both Friedrich and Wilhelmine were of age to begin the protocols of marriage. A possible bride had to be sought out for Friedrich. Considerably, it had to be someone who wasn't a political intriguer and from some land that didn't have disdain for the Kingdom. For Madame Royale, foreign Princes were considered but then dropped to prevent foreign nations from gaining a foothold in the Realm. Amid royal betrothals, came the unwanted presence of political rivalries. Sophie Dorothea wanted to have her children married to her English relatives from Hanover, whilst Friedrich Wilhelm asserted that they mary German nobles, possibly even the children of the Habsburg Emperor Charles VI. ''Desperate to assert her desires, the Queen attempted to arrange a dual marriage of Friedrich to Princess ''Amelia of Great Britain and Wilhelmine to the Hanoverian Kurprinz Friedrich, Prince of Walls. Both were the children of Sophia Dorothea's brother, King George II of Great Britain. Fearing an alliance between Prussia and Great Britain, Field Marshal von Seckendorff, the Austrian ambassador in Berlin had bribed a hefty sum and dowry to the Prussian Minister of War at the time, Field Marshal von Grumbkow, ''and the Prussian ambassador in London, ''Benjamin Reichenbach. '' Unable to tame the interests of the Soldatenkönig, there was an inevitable choice that Friedrich and Wilhelmine would be married to German nobles. Following weeks of candidacy, the choice determined that Elisabeth Christine von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, Ducal Princess of Brunswick, shall betroth the Crown Prince. 'Handover' In March of 1732, arrangements were being made for the Duchesse de Brunswick, Élisabeth, to make her way to Berlin and begin the elaborate ceremony for her wedding. On the 10th of March, a proxy wedding was held in the Schlosskapelle of the Stadtschloß. A private, though ornate ceremony was held, as Princesse Wilhelmine stood in for her future sister-in-law. ''Madame Royale's betrothal took place a year prior, when she married Friedrich von Brandenburg-Bayreuth and became Margravine-Consort of Bayreuth. Schloß Salzdahlum, the baroque pleasure palace and summer residence of the Duke's of Brunswick would be where the act of union would be performed in a proxy ceremony. The occasion was one of mixed feelings, as Friedrich was unconditionally married without fully knowing who his bride was. Fritz was not entirely welcoming of the marriage as she was unsure of the Duchess, but was pleased to be married overall. It was at Salzdahlum, that Élisabeth Christine spent her last night on Brunswick soil as Ducal Princess. The following morning would make her the de-facto Kronprinzessin of Prussia. The following day was an extraordinarily important one. In a manner of disciplined Spartan rhetoric, Soldatenkönig Friedrich Wilhelm, mounted on a fine silver Schlobitten stallion, rode into Braunschweig at the head of the Prussian procession. The Prussian King's parade consisted of a contingent of 40,000 Soldiers, Guardsmen and Cavalry, with a train consisting of 100 carriages, carrying well over 300 Nobles and Officials. The morning began with the thunder of Prussian cannons, to salute the day. Drums tamboured, whilst fifes shrilled - the Prussians had come to collect their bride. The following year, the court of Berlin would be expecting the Kronprinzessin instead at Magdeburg, where the meeting of Friedrich and Élisabeth Christine was destined to assuredly take place. Marriage Stately Affairs with a Youthful Air Within a year, the Crowned Prince would return to the Prussian-Brunswick frontier, only this time he would be accepting his bride in the elaborate occasion of a Handover ceremony. Queen Sophie Dorothea insisted on her husband that they retain some pomp from the reign of Friedrich I, in light of a new future for Prussia. On the Brunswicker side, the Duchess arrived with almost 140 officials, 60 carriages, and an extensive retinue of servants, 5,000 troops, and a crowd of peasants. The Prussian cortège, on the other hand, overshadowed the procession it brought the previous year. Kronprinz Friedrich was attended to by a vast line of almost 250 carriages carrying nobility of varying ranks, not forgetting two Queens (Sophie Dorothea and the Dowager of Friedrich I), and 75,000 troops in all along the travel route. The two great cortèges descended upon the banks of the Elbe River outside Magdeburg on a warm summer morning. Sandfurth Insel (Île Sandfurth) was the location at which Elisabeth Christine von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern would be handed over to Prussia, becoming Élisabeth de Prusse. On the previous night, the Prussian army was encamped on the Western banks of the Elbe. Filled with excitement and anxiousness, Friedrich turned to his group of confidants (just as he did with Katte). Only this time, things were different. Friedrich had managed to sneak out after dark from the Prussian camp with several of his court favourites, including his flute tutor Johann Joachim Quantz. The group of seven lads had trekked to the banks of the river, where the previous day they had hidden a rowboat. The night was an important one - The Brunswick court was holding a ball in honour of the Handover of their duchess. It was noted by Quantz how nervous Fritz was upon reaching the shore upon their arrival, as the Prince had whispered to him: "Do you believe she'll love me? I believe I shall love her." ''Indeed Élisabeth de Prusse as she would come to be known would adore her new husband. '''Royal Encounter' The following morning from the daring adventure, both courts descended upon the island. Bidding farewell to her companions, the Duchess proceeded into the tent. Once the allegorical ceremony of undressing and dressing was over, Elisabeth Christine was introduced to both the Soldatenkönig and Sophie Dorothea. Following protocols once the documents had been signed, Elisabeth and Friedrich made the ceremonial salutation. After exchanging a formal hug, the pair boarded a fine state coach as the Prussian court adjourned to Magdeburg for a celebratory luncheon. The next day, the great procession departed for Berlin. Arrival in Berlin Upon the return to Berlin itself, the couple was prepared for their wedding day, another elaborate ceremony The night spent in Berlin after returning from Magdeburg would be the dawn of a new era for Elisabeth. After being escorted by the Chamberlain, she was introduced to her rooms. Ironically, Elisabeth's rooms faced the towering Berlin Cathedral just across the street on the Île Royale. The morning of the wedding was a busy one. Royal Heralds climbed atop the roofs of the great buildings of Berlin stretching from the Brandenburg Gate to the Zeughaus Armory and the Stadtschloß. Great crowds had gathered all across the Mitte-district of the city. The long ceremony was presided over once more by the ageing Bishop von Baer. The ceremony was a lavish one, with crowds along Unter Den Linden between the Brandenburg Gate to the Cathedral. Following the ceremony, a great roar of bells tolled across Berlin and the Prussian countryside, with countless Hussar riders sent to each town and village to keep the chimes scheduled. The court departed the cathedral, for nearby Schloß Charlottenburg, the traditional Court Residence. An embellished gilt carriage of state, draped in flowers and crowned by black-white ostrich feathers and drawn by 12 white horses transported the royal couple. The wide avenues were lined with various tapestries, covering the fronts of old and stately houses, and hoards of Berliners thronged the windows, balconies, and streets around the Crowned Prince and his bride. The infamous Potsdam Giants of the Grenadier Guards lined the route, while the Garde du Corps Cuirassiers escorted the great parade. Friedrich and Elisabeth arrived at Charlottenburg to much acclaim by the populous, with cries of "Long live the Kronprinz!" ''and ''"Vivat! Our Kronprinzessin!" ''Friedrich Wilhelm I and the Queen headed the parade, followed by Fritz and 'Lisabeth and the senior courtiers. Friedrich expressed a kind and generous countenance, leaning out of his carriage window and waving graciously to the crowds who clambered at the carriage and adorned the young couple in flowers. The crowds were in such large numbers that a troop of Hussars had to briefly intervene in order to clear a path. At the Schloß Charlottenburg, Friedrich Wilhelm held a formal reception in honour of the young couple. Fritz was eager to look after to his wife during what must have been a confusing time, an example of his compassionate nature. The reception was a lengthy one, which was then followed by the bedding ceremony. The young Prince and his wife, now the ''Kronprinzessin, were led in a long procession to the bedchamber. Here, both were undressed and presented into nightwear. They were then put to bed, and blessed before being left to perform their duties... duties of which would never occur. It would later be argued by Historians of the fact of Friedrich's sexuality, as the couple never bore any children, possibly the result of an illness contracted during his relationship with Katte. Prince of the Army with a State War of the Polish Succession The War of the Polish Succession (1733-35) was one of the major European conflicts of the 18th century. Poland-Lithuania's crown was at an auction with the death of the infamous king Augustus the Strong (German: August der Starke;) who left the throne vacant as his son's succession was not secure. Augustus failed in an attempt to settle the Polish crown on his son, Augustus III, leading to a contest for the throne when he died in 1733. In the secret 1732 Treaty of Löwenwolde, Russia, Austria and Prussia, agreed to oppose the election of either Stanislaus or Augustus III and to support Manuel of Portugal instead. Augustus II died on February 1, 1733. Throughout the spring and summer of 1733, France began building up forces along its northern and eastern frontiers, while the emperor massed troops on Polish borders, reducing garrisons in the Duchy of Milan for the purpose. While the ageing Prince Eugene of Savoy had recommended to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI a more warlike posture against potential actions by France in the Rhine valley and northern Italy, only minimal steps were taken to improve imperial defences on the Rhine. Unable to sue for a logical peace, the Sejm Diet of Poland collapsed into anarchy shortly after the death of Augustus the Strong. On August 11, 30,000 Russian troops under Field Marshal Count Peter Lascy entered Poland in a bid to influence the sejm's decision. On September 4, France openly declared its support for Leszczyński, who was elected king by a sejm of 12,000 delegates on September 12. On October 10, France declared war on Austria and Saxony. Louis XV was later joined by his uncle, King Philip V of Spain, who hoped to secure territories in Italy for his sons by his second marriage to Elizabeth Farnese. Soon, all of Europe ignited into the flames of war, as the French marched for the claims of Stanisław Leszczyński, while Russia and Austria marched for the reign of Friedrich Augustus. In Berlin, Friedrich Wilhelm and Sophie Dorothea had agreed for young Friedrich to participate in the war effort and gain his first military education. The infamous, elderly, and illustrious Eugene of Savoy had opted to take Fritz as his Aide, and bring him on the campaign against the French. Several weeks after Prussia entered the war, Warsaw soon fell to the Russians, which forced Leszczyński to flee to Danzig. This move culminated in Danzig coming under Russian attack as the forces of Field Marshal Lacy laid siege. Following a strenuous and deadly siege, Danzig capitulated in June 1734, and Leszczyński was forced to flee once more, this time first to''Königsberg'' and eventually to France, where he took refuge at Versailles. The war was an irritable affair, causing confusion for all sides. The French had poured all their resources into a front against Austria and Prussia in the Rhein, whilst pro-Leszczyński forces skirmished in the western parts of East-Prussia against the forces loyal to Augustus and the Russians. In the meanwhile, Friedrich and Eugene directed the Imperial forces against the French in the Rhine, following the French entry of the war in October. In the early winter months, the French invaded Lorraine and Trier, then besieging the fortress of Kehl. Unable to fully consolidate the capture of the fortress, Eugene's forces soon arrived to relieve the nearby city of Strasbourg from French siege. The war soon turned, however, as Friedrich lead a Prussian contingent, with the aide of Eugene of Savoy, with a raid on Augustus' native Dresden in the middle of 1735. The siege of Dresden prompted Augustus to agree to the demise of his claims to the Polish throne, as he was put under house arrest by Friedrich's forces. The Swedes and Russians had occupied Warsaw, and the war was all but over. As 1735 progressed with the Austrians being in no real position to continue the fight, and the French concerned by the possible arrival of Prussian and Russian reinforcements on the Rhine (which did eventually occur), negotiations continued through the summer of 1735. A prefatory peace was finally concluded in October 1735 and ratified in the Treaty of Vienna in November of 1738. Stanisław Leszczyński was officially, once again, confirmed as King of Poland, whilst Friedrich Augustus was compensated with retaining the Saxon crown. France was stipended with the ownership of Lorraine, and Austria gained Parma. Petit Cour de Rheinsberg The war was the last significant event of the Soldatenkönig's reign. Weakened by gout, and looking to reconcile with his son, who fought with valour during the war, Friedrich Wilhelm granted Friedrich the estate of Rheinsberg, north of Berlin. The Estate was purchased in March of 1734 by the Soldatenkönig for a sum of 74,000 Thalers. The estate was slightly dilapidated and required some work to satisfy the young Kronprinz and his bride. The task of Rheinsberg's architecture was delegated to a friend and soldier of Friedrich's circle - Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff. von Knobelsdorff was an accredited architect and would be a prominent figure in Friedrich's early life in the years between the court of Rheinsberg and his early reign as King. The single-storey building was expanded to include an upper floor and the east wing was extended by 25 meters. In addition to these great extensions, two towers were constructed to complete the facades. The old castle was enveloped in a simplistic Baroque facade, thus beginning Friedrich's architectural style, known as Friderician Baroque. Situated on a moat, supplied by water from the Greinericksee Lake, the small baroque Château was the ornament of the town of Rheinsberg. The vast property was adorned by fine gardens styled à la française. It was here at Rheinsberg, that Friedrich spent, as he quoted the ..happiest moments in all my life, with Madame. A modest pension of 35,000 Thalers per annum from his mother permitted Friedrich to maintain a small court at Rheinsberg with Elisabeth. Together the pair assembled a court of musicians, philosophers and some of Europe's greatest minds, such as Voltaire and Rousseau. In Rheinsberg, Friedrich assembled a small number of musicians, actors and other artists. He spent his time reading, watching dramatic plays, composing and playing music with his chamber orchestra. In history, the court at Rheinsberg was regarded this time as one of the happiest of his life. His mother, Queen Sophie Dorothea would be a frequent visitor, often becoming the star of court society and informing Friedrich of the latest from Berlin. It was at Rheinsberg that Friedrich would also found Prussia's first masonic lodge - the Boyard Order. He would appoint his close friend, Freiherr Heinrich August de la Motte Fouqué as the Grand Master. Fouqué was the second son of a Huguenot nobleman who had emigrated from France as a result of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Fouqué had come to befriend the Crown Prince on a visit when the prince was interred at Küstrin. Inheritance of the Iron Kingdom In the late 1730s, it would become apparent that the Prussian Throne would soon be sat upon by Friedrich. This youthful prince of 28 years would come to have one of Europe's finest crowns to inherit. Prussia's throne was suffering from neither bankruptcy or corrupted bureaucracy or a succession crisis. Rather, this Iron Kingdom was blooming like a young eagle chick, that was about to spread its wings and soar to the skies for the very first time. Soar, this eagle, did, indeed. Friedrich had at his disposal the typical tools for exercising power in modern times, as a modern, enlightened, and absolute monarch. A hallmark of Friedrich's possessions that he would inherit is that the Hohenzollern territories brought together by marriage, inheritance and war, which differed structurally from one another, were brought together and held by the dynasty itself. In the western stretches of Prussia along the Franco-Dutch frontier sat the Duchies of Cleves-Jülich-Mark, rich in their natural metal and woodland resources. Landlocked Brandenburg was the capital of the Realm, but despite this, Brandenburg was wealthy in forests that included mulberry trees for silks and fabrics. South of his realm, lay Prussian-governed Switzerland, centred on the Principality of Neuchâtel. On the far Eastern stretches of Prussia lay the native homeland, East-Prussia, with it's ancient and fortified capital, Königsberg, the seat of Prussia itself. In the Holy Roman Empire, the Hohenzollerns ruled several enclaves, such as the Principality of Hohenzollern, in which the seat of the dynasty itself - Hohenzollern Castle stood atop Hohenzollern Mountain in Württemberg. This specific process of dynastic state formation and unification was primarily driven by Friedrich's ambitious father. A Prussian population estimated at 2.24 million might not be enough to confer great power status, but it turned out that a standing army of 80,000 men could be. Moreover, the Prussian infantry trained by the Soldatenkönig was, at the time of Friedrich's accession, arguably unrivalled in discipline and firepower. The ratio of One soldier for every 28 Citizens was far higher than the One-to-350 in Great Britain, another aggressively expansionist power of this period. Prussia's treasury was filled with an abundant sum of 35 million Thalers, thanks to Friedrich Wilhelm's thriftiness and his extensive reforms. Canal expansion between the Oder and Elbe strengthened trade in bulk goods such as grain, salt and wax, wood, saltpetre and potash. These waterways made Berlin the hub of industrial production, trade and commerce. It was due to this boom in commerce whereby Friedrich was able to build on traditional funding mechanisms. In addition to civilian linen and silk productions, armaments trades such as the Spandau rifle factory thrived. Reign as King of Prussia Death of Friedrich Wilhelm I Near the end of his life, Friedrich Wilhelm had become extremely fat with a weight of 123 kg. He was a short man with a large head on a short neck and his belly had increased to a width of 225 cm. Dropsy made his body swell even more and he was forced to use a wheelchair. As a diversion from this melancholic state, the aged monarch liked to paint and he used to sign his paintings with "In tormentis pinxit" (painted in pain). During his final illness, Fritz suggested summoning an eminent doctor, but the Soldatenkönig retorted that his own physician could kill him without assistance. Friedrich Wilhelm was constantly tortured by horrible pains, dropsy and gout. In March of 1740, he suffered from a "constant burning sensation and cruel pains in the intestines". In May of that year, he gave precise instructions for his funeral. He wished for a simple ceremony, with neither great pomp or bother on the public. Early on the morning of May 31st at Court within the Stadtschloß of Berlin, the King awoke in a frenzy. Friedrich Wilhelm had himself hastily wheeled into the Queen's apartment into her bedchamber and said to her: "Get up! I am going to die today." Leaving his consort half-confused and half-shocked, he was wheeled back to his own room and ordered the horses to be brought out of the Écurie in front of his window. Hours passed while the illustrious King's health gradually got worse and he eventually died later in the afternoon. The event of the King's death was a great shock to the Court, who, despite their mixed emotions, were deeply moved by the passing of the Soldatenkönig. It was on the 31st of May in 1740, that the grim reaper had brought what Friedrich called his 'Egyptian servitude' to an end. It was on this day that Friedrich William had died of a Porphyritic bout. Friedrich was now king, as Friedrich II of Prussia and could do as he pleased, free from his father's parsimonious grip. In the lavish throne room, the court had gathered in mourning, as the groans of the dying King were heard throughout the great castle. As the King's last rites were given, a French Huguenot friend of the-then Crowned Prince, Marquis d'Alembert confided to his now Sovereign: "Les philosophes et les hommes de lettres de tous les pays vous ont longtemps regardé, Sire, comme leur chef et leur modèle." (The philosophers and the men of letters in every land have long looked upon you, Sire, as their leader and model.) Such devotion, however, had to be tempered by political realities. The funeral of the Soldatenkönig was Prussian in nature and ceremony. Following the embalming and autopsy, the King's body was dressed in the uniform of his beloved Potsdam Giants and laid in state for several days in the Berlin Cathedral. Following this, draped in a flag, with black velvet, the coffin was placed on a gun carriage, normally used to draw the train of a mighty cannon. The procession departed for Potsdam, where the King would be interred in the church he built - the Garrison Church. Once his funeral had taken place, the coronation of Friedrich II was immediately on the mind of the Prussian populace. Coronation Two weeks had passed since the funeral of the late King. June 20th of 1740 would mark the occasion of the enthronement of Friedrich II as King of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg, and Sovereign of all his Realm. The Court Jewellers were appointed to resurrect the great regalia from the vaults of the Berliner Stadtschloß and restore them to pristine glory for the coronation. As if it were a call to homage, the court was moved suite, as the coronation arrangements were made to be held at Königsberg Castle once more in East-Prussia. The coronation outfit of Friedrich II was prepared; A fine silk suit of deep Prussian blue velvet with ornate golden patterns and designs; Heavy ermine and gold thread used to weave Prussian Eagles and Crowns; White stockings, with golden lace ribbons of the finest quality were sent as a gift from the aspirational Ottoman Sultan Mehmed I. Amongst his costume were fine leather shoes with diamond-studded Eagle buckles, adorned to his torso was the full dress of the Order of the Black Eagle. Aside from this, was the heavy use of diamonds, sapphires, and pearls. The Court was moved from Berlin to Königsberg for the coronation, with Friedrich taking up the central apartments, while Elisabeth took her rooms, once those of the Electress of Brandenburg. Friedrich would be attended by his newly appointed Grand Maître de Prusse, along with several chosen Gentlemen of the Bedchamber. They would dress him in the ornate coronation regalia before his procession. In her rooms, Queen Elisabeth was dressed in her regalia, to meet her spouse. An elaborate gilt state coach, adorned with golden sculptures and painted with scenes allegorically heralding Prussia, was drawn by a team of 12 white stallions, each sumptuously equipped in an exquisite livery. When the time finally arrived, Friedrich would travel in this elaborate gilt carriage, but this time, his mother riding behind her own carriage. Escorted by Garde du Corps cuirassiers and other guard troops, the long procession was followed by the Hohenzollern kinsmen, the Princes of the Blood, the Foreign Princes, and the various Nobility. The ceremony was carried out in the Prussian tradition of two Archbishops, one Calvinist, and one Lutheran. Amongst a great entourage of clerics, the ceremony was elaborate and reminiscent of the times of Friedrich I and the early court. Celebrations for the Prussian coronation lasted several weeks, with a series of ballets and operas, hunts, dances, and games being carried out both within the court and across the Realm. The day itself had much fanfare, as reportedly over a quarter-of-a-million onlookers had gathered not just from the Prussian populace, but also foreign nations. It was the beginning of a new era in Prussia. The Frederician Period thus had its debut. Early Acts Reformation of the State The Friderician Monarch was greatly interested in enlightening his subjects. Friedrich II considered himself as a despot of enlightened absolutism. In following his dedication to his people and the throne, he declared himself as the "first servant of the state". He pushed for far-reaching social reforms, abolished torture and pushed for the expansion of the education system. By the close of his reign, Prussia not only had Europe's strongest military and abundant economy, but it was also home to Europe's first public education system. Friedrich modernized the Prussian bureaucracy and civil service and pursued religious policies throughout his realm that ranged from tolerance to segregation. He reformed the judicial system and made it possible for men not of noble stock to become judges and senior bureaucrats. Friedrich also encouraged immigrants of various nationalities and faiths to come to Prussia, although he enacted oppressive measures against Polish Catholic subjects in West Prussia. Friedrich II helped transform Prussia from a European backwater to an economically strong and politically reformed state. He protected his industries with high tariffs and minimal restrictions on domestic trade. He reformed the judicial system, allowed freedom of speech, the press and literature. He abolished most uses of judicial torture, except the flogging of soldiers, as punishment for desertion. The death penalty could be carried out only with a warrant signed by the King himself; Friedrich only signed a handful of these warrants per year, and then only for murder. He made it possible for men not of noble stock to become judges and senior bureaucrats. Corpus Iuris Fridericianum The Friderician Monarch was greatly interested in enlightening his subjects. His first task was to reform the Prussian judiciary, and he did such by abolishing the barbaric use of torture and codifying the legal system. Friedrich saw torture as a cruel and uncertain means of discovering the truth and throughout his life believed that "twenty guilty men should be acquitted rather than one innocent cretin". Effectively all uses of torture were abolished, except for those criminals who committed crimine laesae maiestatis (lèse majesté) or treason. From the beginning of his reign, Friedrich consolidated in his judiciary reforms, by issuing the Corpus Iuris Fridericianum. This great civil law code would later be the foundation for the Napoleonic Code, due to it's effectiveness. Despite being issued, the code itself wasn't fully ratified until after the King's death, in 1794. The Corpus was the genius of Friedrich's tuition to have Europe's most honest courts, without having to go to great lengths. He was aided in it's composition by three consecutive justice ministers, each of which contributed greatly to the code's development. Immigration & Religious Freedoms Prussia itself was unique for being the centre of Protestantism in Europe, amongst its other virtues. Whilst the state observed Protestantism, it was believed by Friedrich II that his subjects were in their rignt to worship whichever faith they chose, including the Jewish. The tolerance and openness towards immigrants and religious minorities such as Huguenots, Jews and Catholics, which was not entirely unselfish for Prussia in economic terms, was not a reform, but was practiced even before his reign. It was only two days after his coronation, that on June 22nd, when Friedrich II was asked of his policies on religious freedoms, that he replied with one of his most famous quotes: Toutes les religions doivent être tolérées ... car ... chaque homme doit aller au paradis à sa façon. (All religions must be tolerated... for... every man must get to heaven his own way.) Commerce, Trade and Mercantilism Friedrich II was intent on making Prussia one of Europe's greatest powerhouses for trade. Berlin was the centre of Prussia's own unique silk road, as all commerce of his Realm converged upon Berlin at somepoint in it's commercial lifespan. In 1742 a royal edict was passed, which ordered the planting of mulberry trees for silkworm breeding for Prussia's increasing will to become independent of foreign silk markets and trade wars. Freedom of the Press, Literature, and Speech When Friedrich II took the throne, he instructed his Huguenot friend, confidant and cleric, Professor Jean Henri Samuel Formey to found a French newspaper for politics and literature in Berlin. He ordered his chief minister Graf Heinrich von Podewils to lift the censorship for the non-political part of the newspapers. However, political statements were still subject to censorship. Prussia was thus the first absolute monarchy in Europe in which (although limited) freedom of the press was introduced. During his reign, Friedrich II had passed an edict, acclaiming that all citizens could contact the king by letter or even in person, regardless of who they were. Prussia was growing out of feudalism, and transitioning into an enlightened realm of an educated populace. Friedrich was particularly suspicious of his own officials, to whom he assumed a pronounced lack of class to the detriment of the poorer classes. The Pragmatic Crisis: Death of Emperor Charles VI The Pragmatic Sanction (Latin: '''Sanctio Pragmatica')'' was an edict issued by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (1685-1740), on 19 April 1713 to ensure that the Habsburg hereditary possessions could be inherited by his eldest daughter. These possessions, of their vastness, included the Archduchy of Austria, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Kingdom of Croatia, the Kingdom of Bohemia, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples, the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Netherlands, were to be inherited by a daughter. Most notably his eldest daughter, Maria Theresia. Charles VI was indeed ultimately succeeded by his own elder daughter, Archduchess Maria Theresia ''(born 1717). However, despite the promulgation of the Pragmatic Sanction, her accession in 1740 resulted in the outbreak of the ''War of the Austrian Succession. The sanction had been signed by the major powers of Europe, including Prussia. However, when he came to the throne, Friedrich II rejected the sanction, as he was opposed to the idea that a woman, especially one such as Maria Theresia, was capable of ruling the Holy Roman Empire. Although her father had tried everything to gain recognition for the Pragmatic Sanction in Europe, Maria Theresia's inheritance of the Empire was questioned. The Bavarian Wittelsbach's established their inheritance claim from a Will of Ferdinand I von Wittelsbach in 1543. The Saxon Wettin's registered claims to Bohemia. For Prussia and Friedrich, they declared claims over the wealthy province of Silesia, relying on old traditions to legitimize his claims to Silesia. But above all, Friedrich II saw the uncertain situation in Austria as favourable to add Silesia to his realm. Even France saw an opportunity for war. War of the Austrian Succession Preparations for War Consolidating on Austria's weakened state, Friedrich II saddled his horse for the first time, as King of Prussia. Friedrich sought an amicable alliance with Louis XV of France against their natural Habsburg enemies, with the signing of a mutual alliance pact in July of 1740. Louis agreed France would attack Austria from the west, while Prussia did so from the east. Thanks to the exploits and genius of his father, and his long-time friend, Field Marshal Prince Leopold I. von Anhalt-Dessau, nicknamed by history as Der Alte Dessauer (The Old Dessauer), Prussia's army was the strongest in Europe. It had avoided recent combat, making it something of an unknown factor, while its standing army of 80,000 was disproportionately large, at around 4% of its 2.2 million population. Austria had an army twice the size of Prussia, at 160,000, but it's forces were ill-supplied, spread thin, and they only acted as a weak sieve against foreign invasion. To add to these qualitative advantages, Frederick ensured a two-front war through his treaty with France. First Silesian War: Campaigns of 1740-1742 In the actions of Julius Caesar, Friedrich II referred to his desires for crossing the Rubicon in a letter to his minister Podewils on the 1st of November: I am giving you a problem to solve, Monsieur. When one is in a favourable situation, should one make use of it, or not? I am ready with my troops and everything else; if I don't take advantage of it, I shall have my hands an asset I don't understand Silesia how to use it; If I do take advantage of it, it will be said that I know how to make the superiority I enjoy over my neighbours work for me. This letter was the result of a conference between Friedrich II, Field Marshal Graf von Schwerin, and the Prussian War Commissariat held at Rheinsberg three days prior. Podewils urged caution. He proposed negotiations with Austria. In return for Silesia, Austria could obtain Prussia's military support, a vote for Maria Theresia's husband, Franz II Stephan, as Holy Roman Emperor, and a bid of 2 million Thalers. Friedrich would have none of it. In all the trials and tribulations of the next eight years of war, Friedrich had always kept an eye, sometimes two, on his neighbouring German princes, especially Saxony. Soon Prussia would be joined by Bavaria, Saxony, and France in a crusade against the heathen Habsburgs. The decades of preparatory work by his father and the Alte Dessauer would finally come into fruition. Other European armies took months to mobilise--the Russians could take a year or more--but Friedrich was able to field his army in just a matter of weeks. On the 26th of October, he learned of the emperor's death; on the 7th of November, he ordered his regiments to be made ready; on the 2nd of December, Friedrich returned to Berlin from Rheinsberg; on the 8th of December the Prussian infantry marched off from Berlin in a great parade. Friedrich himself departed his capital on the 13th of December; three days later, at the head of the 1st Corps, this Prussian caesar crossed the Rubicon into Silesia. Austria had only fielded a garrison of 3,000 troops in Silesia, which resulted in the conquest being more-like an occupation. Spread thin and unwilling to combat the Prussians, the Austrians retreated to all but the three fortresses of Glogau, Glatz, and Neisse. On New Years' Eve of 1740/1741, Friedrich wrote to Podewils: 'You are the cleverest charlatan in the world and I am the luckiest child of fortune, our names will never be forgotten by posterity.' A week later, the monarch had set off to demonstrate to the other courts of Europe that, far from being chimerical, his project would be brought to a triumphant conclusion most gloriously that the world had ever seen. By the beginning of January 1741, Friedrich had reached the Silesian capital, Breslau, and occupied it unopposed and greeted with a hero's welcoming; by January 17th he could claim in a letter to his friend and confidante Graf Francesco Algarotti that the entirety of Silesia was in Prussian hands. Accordingly, with the invasion Prussian of Silesia, the French began to cross the Rhine later that year, on 15 August and joined the Bavarian Elector's forces on the Danube and advanced towards Vienna. A French corps moved via Amberg and Pilsen. The Elector marched on Budweis, and the Saxons (who had now joined the allies against Austria) invaded Bohemia by the Elbe valley. Soon, the great city of Prague came under an Allied siege by Prussia, France, Saxony, and Bavaria. With fewer Austrian troops in Silesia Friedrich now had an easier time. The remaining fortresses in Silesia were taken by the Prussians. Before he left Silesia, Austrian General Graf Neipperg had made a curious agreement with Friedrich II, the so-called Klein–Schnellendorf Agreement (Signed on the 9th of October 1741). By this agreement, the fortress at Neisse was surrendered after a mock siege, and the Prussians agreed to let the Austrians leave unmolested releasing Neipperg's army for service elsewhere. Treaty of Berlin: Armistice of 1742 In late March of 1742, an Austrian force under General Laudon attempted to relieve the siege of Neisse, but the main Prussian force under Friedrich engaged and defeated it in the Battle of Mollwitz on 10 April, securing Prussian control of the region. The ensuing battle created an opportunity for all of Europe to capitalise on Austria's weakness. Seeing Austria's defeat at Mollwitz, other powers were emboldened to attack the beleaguered archduchy, widening the conflict into what would become the War of the Austrian Succession. As Bavaria, Saxony, France, Naples and Spain attacked Austria on multiple fronts during the succeeding months, Friedrich began secret peace negotiations with Empress Maria Theresia, with the help of his mother, who conferred with her nephew, King George II, who enabled the British to urge and mediate between Austria and Prussia. The First Silesian War was over. Second Silesian War: Campaigns of 1743-1745 Peace with Prussia allowed the Austrians and their British–Hanoverian allies to reverse the gains made by the French and Bavarians in 1741. By mid-1743 Austria recovered control of Bohemia, drove the French back across the Rhine, and occupied Bavaria. In September 1743 Britain, Austria and Savoy concluded a new alliance under the Treaty of Worms, which led Friedrich to suspect that Maria Theresia meant to retake Silesia as soon as the war elsewhere was concluded. Consequently, on the 7th of August 1744, Prussia declared its intervention in the ongoing conflict on behalf of Elector Charles Albert of Bavaria, and Friedrich led his army across the frontier into Bohemia on 15th August, beginning the Second Silesian War. Having made peace with Bavaria in late April, Austria prepared for a large-scale invasion of Silesia, moving the army of Prince Charles of Lorraine into Moravia, while a Saxon army organised near Leipzig. Meanwhile, Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau (Der Alte Dessauer) was put in command of a smaller force in Brandenburg to prevent a Saxon invasion. At the end of May, the Austro–Saxon force converged through the Great Silesian Mountains and camped around the Silesian village of Hohenfriedberg, where Friedrich staged a surprise attack on the morning of June 4th. The ensuing Battle of Hohenfriedberg ended in a decisive Prussian victory, sending Prince Charles's army retreating in disarray back into the mountains. Hohenfriedberg would be one of the greatest landmark victories of Friedrich's reign as a military commander. All hopes of Austria regaining were lost, as the shattered army of Lorraine fled into the mountains. The Prussians pursued the retreating Austro–Saxon army into Bohemia, harassing its rear as far as Königgrätz, where the two forces combatted at the first Battle of Königgrätz on June 12th, 1745, a great Prussian victory that would later be repeated in 1866. In 1745, three of the greatest battles of the war occurred: Hohenfriedberg, Kesselsdorf and Fontenoy. All of which was a Prussian and French victory. Meanwhile, another Prussian army under the Alte Dessauer advanced into western Saxony, attacking and destroying the main Saxon army in the Battle of Kesselsdorf on 15th December, after which the Prussians occupied Dresden. Treaty of Dresden: Prussia's piecemeal with Austria After linking up his army with Leopold's, Friedrich occupied the Saxon capital of Dresden, forcing the Saxon Elector Friedrich August to capitulate. Once again, Frederick's stunning victories on the battlefield compelled his enemies to sue for peace. Under the terms of the Treaty of Dresden, signed on 25th December 1745, Austria was forced to adhere to the terms of the Treaty of Breslau ceding Silesia to Prussia. In Dresden, the belligerents quickly negotiated a peace treaty, under which Maria Theresia recognised Prussian sovereignty in Silesia and Glatz, while Friedrich acknowledged Franz Stephan as Holy Roman Emperor and committed to neutrality for the remainder of the War of the Austrian Succession. For its part in the Austrian alliance, Saxony was compelled to pay one million rixdollars in reparations to Prussia. Despite its debt, Saxon elector Friedrich August II offered to Friedrich to cede Saxony as a satellite state to Prussia, pledging an allegiance. This deal was more than satisfactory, as Prussia would walk away from Austria with Silesia, Saxony, and the Glatz as his treasure. Restoration of Peace Schloß Sanssouci Sanssouci was the most personal of Friedrich's residences as King of Prussia. He first laid eyes upon the sight as Kronprinz in the late 1730s, when his father had cultivated the land for a public park in Potsdam. He returned to this site, as King, in late 1744 with his friend and architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff. During the winter between 1744-1745, Friedrich returned to Potsdam, to begin plans for his new Lustschloss (pleasure palace.) The hill on which Friedrich created his terrace vineyard palace was to become the focal point of his demesne, crowned by the new, but small, palace—"mein Weinberghäuschen" ("my little vineyard house"), as he called it. With its extensive views of the countryside amid nature, Friedrich wanted to reside there sans souci ("without a care") and to follow his personal and artistic interests. Hence, the palace was intended for the use of the King and his private guests—his sketch indicated the balanced suites "Pour les etrangers" and "Pour le Roy"— only during the summer months, from the end of April to the beginning of October. The harmony between art and nature is also reflected in the location and design of Sanssouci Palace at the height of the vineyard, as the palace resembled an Italian villa, enthroned on a terrace. On April 14th, 1745, the cornerstone was laid by Friedrich II in a brief and formal ceremony. After only two years of construction, the inauguration of the vineyard palace took place on May 1st, 1747, although not all rooms had been completed. Except in times of war, Friedrich II lived there from late April to early October. The enlightened monarch would hold court at Sanssouci for over 40 summers during his reign. He lived and died, Sans-Souci. Friendships and Family From a young age, Fritz often aligned with his siblings and mother in a coalition against their father's brutality. Throughout his life, Friedrich II held his eldest sister - Wilhelmine (Madame Première) and the Queen-Dowager in the highest of regards. In Wilhelmine, he found great confidence, and companionship - something that would remain until their parting of her tragic death which abruptly paused the 1758 campaign during the Seven Years' War. The two siblings last saw each other in June of 1758 in Wilhelmine's court at Bayreuth. Madame Première's death came about the same day that Friedrich II would suffer an ambush lead by the Austrians at the Battle of Hochkirche, the eve of October 14th, 1758. Whilst it was a pyrrhic victory for Austria, Friedrich would immediately return to Berlin for the funerary arrangements. Throughout his life, Friedrich II maintained a lukewarm relationship with his brothers. However, he often retained a compassionate approach to how he governed them. Most notably was his younger brother, Augustus Wilhelm, who, according to gossip - died of body and soul (a suspected suicide, or death from melancholia) after Friedrich's heartless reprimands for his misconduct in the Prussian withdrawal from the Battle of Kolin, in which both Austria and Prussia suffered considerable losses. Friedrich's greatest critic, but on the token of being one of his greatest generals was Monsieur le Prince (Heinrich von Preußen). Throughout his life, Monsieur le Prince remained in the shadow of his older brother, whose military strategy and foreign policy he criticized several times; notably in 1753, in a memorandum under the pseudonym Maréchal Gessler. Monsieur served as an excellent bureaucrat, diplomat, and tactician. Although outliving his brother until his death in 1802, the two brothers had a bitter-sweet relationship, often filled with innumerable disagreements. The English Minister to Prussia, Sir Andrew Mitchell, observed Monsieur: He is inconspicuous in person and without any external grace. Naturally cold and of silent nature, he can nevertheless occasionally make a winning impression through the liveliness of his conversation." Despite these differences, Friedrich II and Heinrich would reconcile many times, as the King would shower his brother in gifts and estates, such as bequeathing him Rheinsberg in 1744, after the court moved to Sanssouci. In Berlin during the late 1740s, the Palais de Henri de Prusse was erected, which served as the residence of Heinrich and Wilhelmine. In November of 1800, Louis Bonaparte (the youngest brother of the infamous Napoléon) visited him in Rheinsberg. Monsieur le Prince would die at Rheinsberg in 1802 and would be buried in a mausoleum in the gardens. Friedrich's love for his siblings was indifferent, but warm when he warranted an occasion for it. Throughout his reign, Friedrich II maintained a court of philosophical figures, many of whom would make great contributions to history. Voltaire maintained favour with the Frederician patronage for over 50 years and correspondences of over 1,400 letters. He disagreed with the views of Rousseau but was quick to offer the great Swissman refuge at Sanssouci when Louis XV had exiled him from French soil. Friedrich managed to captivate every great French and English philosopher of the Enlightenment, from Voltaire and Rousseau to John Locke and Denis Diderot. Even in wake of his death, the infamous Comte de Mirabeau would tour the Frederician realm, and publish the notion that ''The prudence of the Frederician Regime was a police state, a choked bureaucracy chained to servitude, and a judiciary that invaded all forms of privacy and enforced Europe's most honest court systems. Even great men like Mirabeau would flay the parsons of Europe, with the influence of Friedrich II's enlightenment. The Queen Consort The relationship of Friedrich II and Elisabeth Christine has been a characteristically vast development, throughout their marriage. In their early marriage, both Prince and Princess had a mutual friendship but with minimal emotional context to speak of. Friedrich II had been insecure about a sexual disease he had contracted, making him believe that he was impotent (an illness which sparked great controversy over his record for having homosexual relationships). During the Rheinsberg years, Friedrich used to be polite and courteous with his wife, but after he ascended the throne, he had made a point of poignantly involving Elisabeth Christine in the management of state affairs. Gradually, as their marriage progressed, the Monarch and Consort soon grew closer. It was noted by Friedrich's retinue on the eve prior to their wedding in 1733, that Friedrich had turned to ask a confidant, whispering to him: "Do you believe she will love me? I believe Madame shall." Indeed Elisabeth Christine did cherish her husband as was described by her Ladies in Waiting. Elisabeth Christine was not without her good points, for she had quite a pretty face, blond hair, a good complexion, shapely breasts and a slender figure. She was noted in particularity for eyes that 'sparkled like sapphires in candlelight' as quoted by Countess Sophie von Voss, the Queen's confidant and Dame d'Atour. Elisabeth Christine was well-intentioned, good-natured, polite and most. In short, it was, to say the least, that the pair were charmed. Throughout his life, Friedrich II's homosexuality had come into light numerous times in court society. Despite this, it is quoted by Friedrich II that the primary reason he agreed to his marriage to Elisabeth Christine, was based on the fact that "She is pretty and cannot complain that I don't love her at all, in short - I really don't know why we don't have children." As the ruling Queen, Elisabeth Christine ranked above her mother-in-law only in terms of protocol, but the Queen-Mother Sophie Dorothea remained the dominant female member of the royal family until her death in 1757. Friedrich attached great importance to maintaining rank and etiquette, so on the other hand in great processions, he would have his coach followed by Elisabeth's and then his Mother's. Friedrich was concerned about the well-being of his wife, as an order to his personal physician reveals: “I recommend you to visit the Queen without delay and to connect with the other two doctors in Berlin. Remember that she is the most invaluable and necessary person for the state, for the poor and for me ”. Sexual life in the royal circle, was undoubtedly, quite inspired. The Queen-Mother Th'' Peace and War - 1745-1756 'Peace' 'The Seven Years' War' 'Peace of Hubertusburg ''' The Masterful Servant of the State First Servant of the State A Long Peace, a Short War, Twin Diplomacy and Revolution The Homefront Later Life Public and Nation French Revolution At Court & At Home Old Fritz Death Issue X * Titles, Styles and Honours Titles & Styles * 24 January 1712 – 31 May 1740 – His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Prussia * 31 May 1740 – 19 February 1772 – His Majesty The King of Prussia (Unrecognised by the HRE) * 19 February 1772 – 17 August 1786– His Majesty The King of Prussia (Recognised by the HRE) Honours * Grand Master and Sovereign of the Order of the Black Eagle (1740-1800) * Grand Master and Sovereign of the Order of the Red Eagle * Grand Master of the House Order of Hohenzollern * Grand Master of the Order of Pour le Mérite * Grand Master of the Boyard Order * Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noblest Order of the Garter (Britain) * Grand Knight Companion of the Imperial Order of St. Andrew (Russia) Category:Prussian Sovereigns Category:Born in the Purple Category:Electors of Brandenburg Category:Kronprinzen Category:Princes of Prussia Category:Fils de Prusse Category:Petite Fils de Prusse Category:Elector-Archbishops Category:Imperial Court Category:House Hohenzollern Category:18th Century Births Category:18th Century Deaths Category:18th-Century Composers